My brother and I did not become friends until the day he left for college. On that day I not only had the bathroom to myself, but I also became an only child. Or so I like to think. Now that we are twenty-two and twenty years old, I wish I had not wished he would go away so often as a child. I am grateful for my older brother for many things. He was my protector, my role model, and my source of happiness. In case you are in the situation I was once in where I wanted to be an only child, here are three lessons to be grateful you have an older brother.
A constant source of new music. My brother was constantly introducing me to new music. We never spoke to each other while we were in the car together, rather we would sit in silence and listen to music. Every time we got into the car, he would play the most interesting, new music that I had never heard before. He was the one that introduced me to Anna Sun by Walk the Moon. He was the one that taught me all of the words to Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi. Two completely different styles of music, but they both instantly became my favorite songs. Whether it was because the lyrics were catchy, or because I like upbeat music, I would have never discovered these songs if it were not for my older brother.
The importance of keeping your mouth shut. Let's be honest, siblings rarely get along as they are growing up. My brother and I were no different from the average grumpy children. We would fight, say mean things to each other, and occasionally wrestle each other to the ground if one of us was being annoying. Sometimes this would be a way to fix things between us, but other times one of us would always tell mom and dad. Okay, I admit it; I was the one who always told mom and dad how mean my brother was to me. For years he would get in trouble and I thought it would be a benefit to me. But I quickly learned the more he was in trouble, the more he resented me which ultimately increased the fighting and mean things being said. So trust me when I say it’s better to keep your mouth shut. Don’t be a tattletale; it will just put an even bigger strain on the relationship.
An unspoken protector. Although we spent most days fighting and not speaking to each other, my brother was always the number one person to have my back. He would come to my defense in an instant, whether I was at fault in the situation or not. It was nice to know that someone cares about you, even when they are not speaking to you. Having an older brother to protect you from all of the evil in this world should never be taken for granted.
Even though we spent a majority of the days not speaking to each other while growing up, my brother was my best friend. He made me happy when he introduced me to new music, he was my role model who taught me life lessons, and my protector from all things evil. I love my brother, even more so now that I appreciate him and everything he has done for me. Never take your older brother for granted, he is teaching you a lot more in life than you are willing to give them credit for.
